Will Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. ignore The Avengers?

Krystal Clark is a Los Angeles based entertainment writer who loves all things sci-fi, comic book and fantasy. When she's not consuming other worldly genres, she likes to soak up classic cinema. Krystal has a real soft spot for Frank Cap...

Dead today, alive tomorrow

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will have a lot of explaining to do. The Avengers spinoff features a character who's dead in the film, but alive on the show. How are the writers going to explain that?

This fall, ABC will premiere Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. It's a TV series set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. What does that mean? Well, Iron Man, Thor and pretty much all of the Avengers exist in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s world.

The Avengers director Joss Whedon co-created the series with Maurissa Tancharoen and Jed Whedon. In terms of characters, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. won't follow Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), but instead Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg). If you remember from The Avengers, Coulson died after a fight with Loki (Tom Hiddleston). So how is Whedon going to bring him back?

Whedon told EW (via Comingsoon), “We’re gonna earn it. That’s not something you take lightly.” In other words, they've come up with an explanation that will please fans. Coulson's back in the fold, but don't expect other big-screen characters to pay a visit.

"It's very important to me that the show stands on its own, that people who never saw any of the movies can tune in and enjoy it," Whedon revealed. "We like being a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, we like having all of the mythos to play off of. But if the show was 'You just missed Tony Stark, wow, he was just here!' it would be the most unsatisfying show ever."

There will be plenty of new superheroes to keep viewers busy, the first being a mystery man played by J. August Richards in the pilot. Whedon refused to reveal his identity but described him as a cranky guy.

You'll find out more when Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. premieres later this year.